Apps Like Zomato Flourish While Gig Workers Barely Survive

India’s gig economy is booming powered by app based giants like Zomato. While these companies boast of creating jobs and driving the digital revolution, the reality for workers like Rajesh and Tapas tells a different story from Telegraph’s recent coverage.

Rajesh, an Arts graduate from Bihar starts his day at 7am completing food deliveries in Kolkata’s bustling suburbs. Despite working long hours, he earns Rs. 15,000–20,000 a month much of which goes toward petrol and bike maintenance. Similarly Tapas, who also delivers for Zomato, juggles two jobs to support his family. “We must complete 12 deliveries daily to get a Rs. 125 incentive,” he shares highlighting the struggle to make ends meet.

There are just two of the millions of “gig workers” that make up the core of India’s rapidly growing app based economy. The CEO of the fintech company PayTM, Vijay Shekhar Sharma reposted a video of a bike rider last week who claimed to make between Rs 80,000 and Rs 85,000 a month working for app driven services.

Zomato and other app companies present their workers as “platform partners” emphasizing flexibility and independence. But this model shifts risks like bike repairs and medical emergencies onto the workers, benefits such as accident insurance often exist only on paper leaving workers vulnerable.

Gig workers who are doing delivery services face numerous challenges from traffic, rain, heat etc till financially. A recent study shows nearly half of them suffer from chronic pain and mental health issues due to long hours and stressful working conditions. 

A 2023 report found that 95% of delivery workers lack health insurance and more often rely on high interest loans for medical emergencies. It is not just for them but also the people who rely on them.

Efforts like the e-Shram portal and Karnataka’s gig worker protection laws offer some hope but implementation remains inconsistent. Meanwhile Zomato continues to soar with its CEO forgoing his salary while his net worth exceeds Rs. 8,300 crore.

“It’s not a choice, it’s survival,” Rajesh says as he rushes to another delivery. Gig workers power the convenience of app driven services like Zomato, Zepto, Swiggy etc often at great personal cost despite their exhaustion in working. For India’s gig economy to truly thrive, their voices must be heard.

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